1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to a multiple call controlling method, and more particularly to a method of controlling multiple calls of a communication device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Currently, mobile phones provide users with the function of connecting with more than one remote party to establish a multiple call. Corresponding to the function, a mobile phone must provide the user with a mechanism for controlling the calls. For ordinary mobile phones complying with GSM specification, the GSM specification defines up to two established calls and one waiting call at the same time. Of the two established calls, one is active, while the other is held, and only one of the two calls can be a conference call.
In the conventional method of controlling multiple calls, for control options provided in a mobile phone, all current remote parties of the mobile phone are taken as a whole. The conventional mobile phone generates different menus according to different combinations of the calls. However, each menu generated is applicable to all of the remote parties. No matter which remote party is selected by the user, the menu generated will be the same. Moreover, after entering into the menu, the user must further select one of the presented options. Following that, the mobile phone will return to the original frame displaying multiple remote parties, and ask the user to reselect a remote party to execute the selected option corresponding to the remote party.
Referring to FIGS. 1A˜1B, diagrams of the call status frame and call menu frame of a mobile phone when a conventional method of controlling multiple calls is executed are shown. Refer to FIG. 1 A, assume that currently the mobile phone remains connected with a remote party 1 and a remote party 2, the status of the remote party 1 is a single active call status A, and the status of the remote party 2 is a single held call status H.
If the user highlights and selects the remote party 1, and presses a select key, the mobile phone will proceed to the call menu frame as shown in FIG. 1B. In the call menu frame of FIG. 1B, the mobile phone displays all of the options applicable to both the remote party 1 and the remote party 2, including a hold option, a retrieve option and an end option, for selection. If the user highlights and selects the hold option and presses an enter key, the mobile phone will return to the call status frame as shown in FIG. 1A, and the user must reselect the remote party 1 upon which the operation of the hold option is performed. After that, the call established between the mobile phone and the remote party 1 will be held.
However, conventional technology has its disadvantages. The call menu includes not only the options applicable to the remote party 1 and the options applicable to the remote party 2, but also the options applicable to both the remote party 1 and the remote party 2. Since a large number of options are displayed, the user has to spend more time finding the desired option. Moreover, incorrect selection might result in a serious problem in conventional technology. For example, if the user selects the retrieve option in FIG. 1B and selects the remote party 1 in FIG. 1A, the user will be asked to re-select a remote party or re-select an option from the call menu because the retrieve option is inapplicable to the remote party 1 of the single active call status A. The user will have to spend more time reselecting a desired option.
Especially, when one of the established calls is a conference formed by multiple remote parties, the call menu frame will list even more options. The user will have to spend more time pressing an up/down key to select a desired option. Moreover, for those users who are not familiar with the practice, an incorrect selection of option will lead to a higher probability of re-selection of remote parties or options. Thus, the user is likely to spend more communication fee or suffer call interruption due to incorrect operation, which is indeed very inconvenient.